Garment bag



Dec. 3, 1940. A; W. TUCKER ET AL 2224,09()

GARMENT BAG Filed Aug. 18, 1938 2 Shee'S-Sheel l De- 3, 1940. A. w. TUCKER x-:T Ax. 2,224,090

GARMENT BAG Filed Aug. 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Dec. 3, 1940 GARMENT BAG Albert W. Tucker and Bertrand Henry Piers,`

WashingtoinD. G.

` Application August is, 193e, serial No. 225,626

` 2 claims. (o1. acc-7) This invention relates to devices and appliances for packing and storage of garments and other articles, and particularly to means for enclosing garments so as to prevent access of moths and i5. other insects,` being particularly applicable to the safe storage of furs and woolen garments.

A practicehas developed ina recent period to enclose garments in paper jackets of various forms, having open sides with special folds and 'lo grummets or string-claspfasteners, and this has become recognized as the most practicable safety precaution both for commercial delivery and domestic storage of garments and furs. Some of these enclosures have provision for the use of a l coat-hanger or the like on which garments may be hung so as to keep them in good shape, with the familiar suspension hook of the hanger extended through the top edge of the enclosure. In these devices there has been much difficulty experienced in assuring an insect-tight joint at the side closure, and also the garments have shown a tendency to become disengaged from the coat hanger within the jacket after the latter has been closed and fastened, and while it is being carried to a place of storage. This tendency was especially manifest if the package was laid down for any reason. The adjustment of the hanger hook in the top edge of the enclosure has been difficult and tendency to tear out has been common.

These prior enclosures, had to be made of very heavy and expensive paper in order that the side closures could be made properly tight, and in order that they would not tear in ordinary handling after placement of garments therein.

It is therefore an object of our invention to enable the production of a paper enclosure or one of similar flexible sheet material in which a more secure sealing of the garment therein will be effected; which will enable the introduction of the garments with greater facility; will retain them more securely on a coat hanger or the like, and will be less liable'to tearing ofthe envelope.

It is also an important aim to present an envelope for the uses indicated which may be more easily sealed and fastened than prior articles availabe for such uses. l

It is also an aim to present anenvelope adapted to be produced in various sheet materials, such as paper, Woven fabrics, transparent nitrocellulose sheetings, and analogous materials, at a low oost.

An important aim of the invention is to present an article for the uses indicated which may be manufactured by standard machinery Vnow avail able, customarily used Afor making bags for various uses. g 'l i Additional objects, advantages and features of inventionA reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in the embodiment of the invention, as will be understoody from the following description and accompanying 5 drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of one of our envelopes in flat form, before introduction of garments therein.

Figure 2 is a similar View of the article being l0 applied to garments.

'Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the'upper end of the rear'side of the bag.

Figure 4 is a front view showing the articleV closed on garments. i' l5 Figures'is a fragmentary elevation similar to Figure 3 showing only the upper end of the package, in a modified form.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure l showing a modification of theopen end of the envelope by v20 which introduction of garments is facilitated.`

Figure 7 is a View of the last mentioned envelope secured upon garments. Y Y

Figure 8 is a view illustrating the bag folded, making for the ready carrying thereof. '2'

There is illustrated in Figures l to 4 a bag lil, which is a simple flat bag or envelope, produced in accordance with familiar patterns and by machinery already familiar for producing such articles. The bag includes` a front wall ll and back 139 wall l2, permanently joined `at one side or edge by a side inap I3, and sealed permanently at the bottom by a bottom ap I4 extended laterally from the front wall, and bent upwardly over the lower edge portion of the iback wall and cemented 735 `to the latter. Other patterns in the'ap details of `the wall may be followed Without `changing the nature of the invention, andif desired, the familviarpractice in forming two back aps overlapped at-the middle of the backwall may be employed .10 to good advantage.

The top end of the bag or envelope is open, and may be a simple edge l5 horizontal or at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the bag. On the longitudinal axis of the bag the top edges .of 45 the front and back walls are notched as at I 6, forming a VV-shaped slot, at thebottom of rwhich a gro-mmet and reinforcing washer l 'l are fixed in the back wall, concentric with the angle of the notch. The notch may be formed in the bag -50 making steps by proper shaping of the blanking die. 1 O n the outer face of the front wall of the bag Inear the top edge a number of string-clasp fasl ,tenerswl are attached, each consisting of a metal `,55

grommet fastener I9 holding a washer 20, which is not otherwise fastened to the material of the bag, so that a string may be wedged thereunder. One of these fasteners is preferably located near each longitudinal or vertical edge fold of the bag, and one intermediately between the notch I6 and the other fastener at each side of the bag. Additional such fasteners may be used along this edge I5, if desired, but it is an advantage of our invention that in amply wide bags no more have been necessary. A reinforcing washer 2I may be secured under the grommet and to the bag at the inner surface of the bag, if desired. The two walls of the bag as laid flat in the form shown'in Figure l are creased on lines 22, extending diagonally downwardly from the center of the groin' y met II to the side folds of the bag. A fifth fastener 23 is located on the back wall of the bag l on the medial longitudinal axis of the bag, a distance below the grommet I1, so that when the corners of the flat bag are folded downward, forming flaps 24, as shown in'Figure 4, the fastener. 23 will lie below the inner two features I8. A string 25 is secured to the fastener- 23, so that it may be extended to and around the fasteners I 8 and back to the one 23 substantially asindicated in Figure 4, or otherwise, as found most convenient to secure the top of the bag folded on the lines 22 and thus in closed position. It may be found preferable to locate the fifth fastener lower down, as indicated at 26 in-Figure 5, the other parts being the same aS-before described. In the last arrangement the string may be extended to the outermost fasteners I8 directly from the oneY 25, so that the extreme corners of the bag iiaps 26 are drawn downwardly on the package as well as held toward the middle vertical line of the package. The string may be extended between the two upper fasteners I8 of the closed package, beforebeing finally connected, which will hold the upper parts of the flaps 26 Adown securely, without beingextlended from theseupper two to the one 26, although the latter practice may be followed,if desired; By the arrangement and use indicated in Figure 5, as shown, a simple clock'- wise movement of the string around the whole group of fasteners will be suicient'to secure the package in closed condition, contributing to rapidity and ease of packing.A Turns around leach of the fasteners will contribute vto the'security of form of the Vpackage vn'thout modifying materially the simple movements required in making the fastening secure.

The opening in the grommet I'I is preferably of a size to t around the base of the shank 2l, of a standard coat hanger hook 28, the cross piece 29 of the hangers being made in accordance with familiar practice, and having the shank 2IY extended upwardly therefrom. i A wire' coat hanger may be used, or any standard form of garment hanger of this general kind.

In the use ofour invention, the garments to be packed are hung on a hanger of any approved kind, and the hook l28 is engaged over a nail or garment' hook 3| fastened to a 'wall `or other support. Orrthe hook of the hanger may be en- Vgaged with a light fixture ora loop of V'string or'other support'extended from a ceilingor other overhead structure. In the'caseof a mans suit, one ofthe usual hangers having a cross bar below ythe cross piece 29 may be employed and lthe trousers laid over this bar sothat they do not iextend `materially below the coat,-`if at all.'A A

short bag maybe Vemployed 4for-such suit, while -if a womans dress is involved, a longerba'gff aplpropriate length may be employed. The bag made in accordance withvouri invention is then positioned beneath the lower edge of the garment or garments on the hanger, and while grasped in respective hands at the upper edges of the front and rear walls, and held open, it is drawn upward around the garments, the envelope and garments being jostled so that gravity will hold the garments properly extended as the bag is drawn upwardly therearound.`

When the creased lines 22 are above the garments, two walls of the bag are brought together over the garments and the corners or flaps 2li thus formed are folded downward one after the other Ytoward the rear side of the bag, which is the` side having the fastener 23 or 26 thereon. In this folding, care is exercised to adjust the grommet I'I around the shank of the hook, this grommet being slotted from the notch I6, so that it may be drawn around the hook shank readily. In this action the grommet closes snugly around the hook shank, and the garments on the hanger press the back wall and inner portions of the flaps 24 (comprising parts of the back wall of the bag) smoothly and tightly against the outer portions of the flaps 24 (comprising portions of the front wall of the bag), making Va good seal. The folded parts may now be secured in this relation by the use of the string 25, wound upon the fasteners I8 and 23,or I8 and 26 as the case may be, the terminal' end of the string being secured by several extra turns around the last fastener with which it is engaged. Y

In Figures 6 and 7 there is illustrated a modication of the bag in which the initial form of the bag includes top edges 35 trimmed so as to slope downward from the middle toward each Vside fold or edge of the bag, a vertical slit 36 being formed at the middle extending downwardly from the top to a grommet 31 aixed as before in the front wall of the bag; the junction of the top edges 35 and the slit being rounded. A crease line 38 is formed at. each side substantially at the saine angles as those numbered 22 first shown and described, spaced below the edges 35 so Vas to form respective aps V39 and 40 when the two walls are laid together. On the front Wall portion of the iap 39,.which is at the left when viewed from the front, a string clasp fastening 4I is secured to the inner corner of the flap near the slit 36, none being included in the corresponding portion at the opposite side-of the slit. Engaged through both Walls of the bag at the extreme outer corners of the flaps there are string fasteners 42, and similarly engaged at the extreme edges ofthe bag below the crease 38,there are similar fasteners 43 at each side,4 each of these having a-short string V44 fixed thereto to-engage the fasteners ,42 when in the same way as the bag first described-but it is necessary that the ap 4D be foldeddown first, if no stringl is fastened 'on its inner corner, and the flap 39 will confine it'when the latter is secured, as' will beunde'rstood. VThe strings 44 `are secured'betwe'en the fasteners42 and 43, as

shown in VFigure "7, making'a tightly closed enve 'lope around th'e` goods within the bag.

It will be appreciated that by the sloping of the top edge of the bag as in Figures 6 and 7, it is easier to adjust the bag around the garments being entered, in the manner of use described, as the garments will tend to strike the edges of the bag` only at the central parts initially, making it unnecessary to adjust the garment within the bag throughout, the top edges.

It will also be appreciated that by having the string 45 attached to the fastener 4I onthe fiap, the flap will be automatically drawn snugly down by the action of drawing the string to the fastener 46. The same practice may be followed with respect to thestrings 44, if desired.

If a fastener is placed on the inner corner of the flap corresponding to the location of fastener 4| onthe flap 39, either ap may be turned down first in the final sealing of the package, and both flaps may be tied in at the inner corners, or the under corner left unsecured except for its confinement by the other flap, when that is fastened.

In order to facilitate carrying of the bag and an enclosed garment, an eyelet 41 is provided at the longitudinal medial portion thereof, projecting beyond the bottom flap I4. Obviously, the bag may be folded intermediate its length as shown in Figure 8, the eyelet being engaged with the hook 28, or otherwise.

It should be noted that in the drawing of the string 25 taut and securing it to the fastener 23 or 26, the garment-s within the bag are thereby drawn snugly upon the cross bar of the hanger, so that liability of their disarrangement is mini- Arrlized and also they are held more securely against becoming dislodged from the hanger within the bag. The string is held under tension between the fasteners, so that this tension is communicated to the bag flaps `and acts upon the garments, so as to holdthem in place.

While we have shown and described the inventio-n in the best embodiment as thus far produced, various modications will occur to those versed in the making and use of such articles, and we do not regard the invention as limited to the specific details shown,.except as limited by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A garment bag consisting of a fiat bag of flexible sheet material, closed at the sides and bottom and having front and back walls of equal lengths, said walls having a V-shaped slot posiltioned centrally thereof and extending from the top edge downwardly a distance, a plurality of string clasp fastener devices on the back adjacent the upper edge portion of the bag, said fasteners being spaced outwardly from the sides of the V-shaped slot, the front and back walls being creased on diagonal lines extending from adjacent the lower end of the slot downwardly to the edges of the bag, said fasteners being outermost when the bag is folded on said creased lines, a string clasp fastener on the front wall of the bag positioned below said creased lines substantially in the longitudinal axis of the bag, and a single string adapted to be interconnected with all of the fasteners. f

2. A garment bag consisting of a flat bag of flexible sheet material, closed at the sides and bottom and having front and back walls of equal lengths, said walls having a V-shaped slot positioned centrally thereof and extending from the top edge downwardly a distance, a plurality of string clasp fastener devices on the back wall adjacent the upper edge portion of the bag, said 

